Wheel



June 2, 1942.

iii?

l a n a R. J. BURROWS ET AL Re 22,107

WHEEL Original Filed July l0, 1936 wel Reissued June 2, 1942 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE WHEEL Michigan Original No. 2,167,633, dated August1, 1939, Se-

v rial No. 89,927, July 10, 1936.

Application for reissue December 20, 1940, Serial No. 371,028

23 Claims.

This invention relates to wheels and is more particularly directed toresilient wheels for use on railway and other vehicles.

It has been found desirable, in connection with the development of lightweight rail equipment, to design wheels which possessed suiiicientresiliency so as to prevent objectionable jarring or vibration in thecar body when the car is traveling at high speeds, and also to eliminatethe transmission of sound from the rail to the tread of the wheel andthence thru metallic connections to the car. Due to the fact that theroad beds of most lines have not been built especially for high speedtrains it is necessary that the Wheel be capable of absorbing, withinitself, a considerable amount of the stresses and vibrations occasionedby passing over rail' joints, switches and over tracks on an uneven roadbed.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a specialtype of resilient wheel which possesses the characteristic ofeliminating transmission of noise therethrough and is also suilicientlyresilient to produce the desired riding qualities essential in highspeed railway vehicles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a Wheel which canbe readily assembled or disassembled, which is relatively light inweight, and which employs relatively few constituent parts.

In carrying out the present invention we pref-` erably provide twosandwich-like stress carrying members disposed between the wheel bodyportion and the flange portion of a rim member. "Fliese cushioningmembers comprise bodies of rubber or equivalent material which arepreferably enclosed on opposite faces by metallic plate members to whichthe surface of the rubber may be vulcanized. Each of these sandwich-likemembers constitutes an annular disc-like Ting, clamped between aninwardly extending radial flange of the tread or rim of the wheel and `aradially outwardly extending disc or flange carried by the hub. Suitablemeans is provided for placing these members in lateral compression, withmeans for limiting the compression of the members to a predeterminedmaximum in order to retain the resilient material in proper condition sothat it will not be subjected to too great internal heating andconsequent impairment of its desired operating characteristics.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of meanswhereby equalized compression of the lateral surfaces of the resilientmembers can be attained in order that the shear stress under load willbe substantially constant along the entire radial surfaces of thesecushioning members. In this connection means are provided for limitingthe lateral compression to insure that the lateral compression will beequalized from the inner periphery of these members to the outerperiphery thereof, whereby the shear stress due to loading isdistributed equally over all surfaces of the cushioning members.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear morefully from the following detailed description which, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, will disclose to thoseskilled in the art the particular construction and operation of apreferred form of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a portion of the wheel;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 2 2 ofFigure 1; and

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the clamping ring.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, we have provided a wheel hub 5which may be of any desired shape or configuration and which is adaptedto be pressed over the axle or spindle in any suitable manner, as isusual practice in railway truck construction. The hub 5 is provided witha reducedl threaded end portion 6 and with an enlarged externalcylindrical surface 1 extending about the opposite end of the hub. Thecylindrical surface 1 is reduced in diameter in the portion marked for apurpose which ls hereinafter disclosed.

Pressed over the external surface of the hub 5 is a flange member 9which has a cylindrical hub portion I0 preferably tightly engaging aboutthe surface l of the hub 5 and suitably secured in fixed positionthereon as by means of the annular ring weld l2, altho it may be securedin position in any other equivalent manner. At its outer periphery theflange member 8 is provided with a series of circumferentially spacedopenings adapted to receive the corresponding projecting ends lI4 of aseries of stud members I3. Each of these stud members has an oppositelyextending reduced threaded end portion H forming an abutment shoulderwith the central portion of the stud.

Disposed in abutting engagement with the lnner end of the ange member 9and loosely tting the reduced portion 8 of the external surface of thehub is a spacing sleeve I5 which is adapted to be engaged at itsopposite end by a second flange member IB which has a hub engagingportion providing for sliding engagement of member IB with respect tothe reduced surface portion 8 of the hub 5 and which is provided with alaterally spaced annular projection I1 at its inner end `forming aradial abutment engaged by the inner face of the threaded ring I3, asshown in detail in Figure 3.

The ring is internally threaded to engage the threaded portion 6 of thehub and has spaced notches I9 formed in its outer periphery forengagement by suitable wrench means to tighten the ring on the hub. Asuitable locking pin carried by the projection I1 of the flange memberI6 is adapted to be disposed within one of the notches I9 of the ringwhen the ring has been tightened in position in order to hold the ringagainst displacement. i

It will be apparent that the spacing sleeve I5, together with theradially extending nange memportion 22 and these members are then movedinto abutting engagement with the member 9. The studs I3 which areclamped by the nuts 34 to the outer periphery of member 9 thus extendthru the openings 32 and 33 and thru the correspending opening in theplate member 29 carried by the resilient member 26.

The i'lange member IB is then moved axially of the hub 5 into abuttingengagement with plate bers 9 and I6, form a relatively deep outwardlyopening channel which is adapted to receive the radial inwardlyextending flange portion 22 formed integral with the rim portion 23 ofthe wheel. The rim 23 of the wheel is provided with the frusta-conicaltread surface 24 which rolls along the rail 25.

Disposed within the channel formed between members 9, I5 and I6 onopposite sides of the flanged portion 22 are the cushioning membersindicated generally at 26 and 21. `Each of the members 26 and 21comprises an annular disclike portion of rubber or equivalent resilientmaterial enclosed at the lateral surfaces thereof by the metallic platemembers 23 and 29. The plate members 23 are extended substantially tothe outer periphery of the flange members 9 and IB and have abuttingengagement with the adjacent surfaces thereof.

These plates are provided with circumferentially spaced openings attheir outer perlpheries of a size such as to receive the threadedprojecting portions I4 of the studs I3. The plates 29 extend outwardlybeyond the outer peripheries of members 9 and I6 and are secured to theflange portion 22 of the member 23 by means of a plurality of rivets 36extending therethru as indicated in Figure 2. The outer peripheral edgesof the plates 29 have seating engagement against shoulders formedadjacent the juncture between the flange portion 22 and the member 23 todefinitely locate the plates with respect to the flange.

The plates 23 are provided with enlarged openings 32 which extend aboutthe enlarged central portion of the studs I3 and are capable of relativemovement with respect thereto. The flange portion 22 is also providedwith a corresponding enlarged opening 33 thru which the studs I3 areadapted to extend. The resilient members 26 andI 21, may, if desired, bevulcanized to the adjacent surfaces of the plates 28 and 29 to form inaffect resilient disc-like members having outer metallic planarsurfaces.

i The plates 28 and 29 are of distinct advantage, even when the members26 and 21 are not vulcanized thereto, because the engaging surfacesthereof can be more readily and cheaply treated specially. or roughened,than the flanges 9 and I6, to provide a surface having the proper gripfor preventing creep of the rubber when compression only is provided forcarrying the radial loads.

In assembling the wheel the cushioning members are placed upon oppositesides of the ange 29 and a suitable nut 35 is threaded over thecorresponding ends of studs I3 in order to dispose the member I6 inalinement therewith. By threading the ring I8 inwardly on the hub theinner portions of the members 26 and 21 are subjected to lateralcompression limited only by the length of the sleeve member I5. Thelength of this sleeve member corresponds to the length of the enlargedcentral portion of the studs I3 whereby upon tightening of the nuts 34and 35 the outer edges of the ange member 9 and I6 are drawn together tocorrespondingly compress the outer ends of the members 26 and 21. Thus auniform lateral compression of the members 26 and 21 is effectedthroughout their radial length and all portions of the members 26 and 21will be correspondingly stressed after the desired compression has beenobtained. The lock pin 20 is inserted into position and the nuts 34 and35 are held in tightened position by means of lock vwashers or any othersuitable means to maintain the cushioning members at the desiredcompression during use of the wheel.

The outer peripheries of the members 28 are preferably notched asindicated at 38 in Figure 1 to extend about the enlarged portions oi thestuds I3 so that `the studs may have some relative movement with respectto these members upon variations in loading on the wheel.

It will thus be apparent that the vertical load carried by the wheelswill subject the members 26 and 21 to shear stress only and that thetread member 23 will be resiliently supported out of metallic contactwith the wheel body portion comprising the members 6, 9 and I6. 'I'husno transmission of vibration or noise is possible due to theinterpositioning of the members 26 and 21 between the ange 22 and themembers 9 and I6. Also the members 26 and 21 will support the loadimposed on the wheel in such manner as to be subjected only to shearstress so that relatively heavy stressing of the cushioning material ispossible. By limiting the amount of lateral compression that can beimposed on the cushioning material, its wearing qualities and itsresilient characteristics will be retained for a considerably longerperiod of 'time than would be possible if this lateral compression couldbe increased beyond the desired predetermined limits.

In view of the\ fact that certain signal apparatus and the like isoperated by the shunting of track circuits thru the car wheels, it isdesirable that electrical connection be made between the tread member 23and the hub member 5 since the members 26 and 21 otherwise bothmechanically and electrically insulate these two portions of the wheel.For this reason we have provided the jumper connection 31 shown inFigure 1 which is connected between the flange portion 22 of the member23 as indicated at 38 and one of the studs I3 as indicated at 39. Thisprovides an eiective electrical connecting path between the tread andthe hub of the wheel.

It will thus be obvious that we have provided a simplied type ofresilient type wheel construction which is capable of easy assembly andrelatively longer wearing characteristics and eliminates any mechanicalinterconnection between these members to reduce the transmission ofvibrations and noises from the rails to the car body.

While we have disclosed and illustrated only one form of our presentinvention it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible tonumerous changes and modifications and we do not intend to be limitedexcept as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. In combination, a hub having an outwardly directed radially extendingchannel, a tread member having a radially inwardly directed flangedisposed within, said channel, resilient cushioning rings disposedbetween the inner radial faces cf said channel and the opposite radialsurfaces of said flange each having side plates vulcanized thereto andengaging said faces and surfaces, one plate of each ring extendingradially outwardly beyond the ring and secured to said flange of saidtread member, means engaging said hub for exerting an axial compressiveforce at the inner end of said channel, and stud means about the radialouter periphery of said channel for exerting an axial compressive forceabout said periphery whereby uniform lateral compression of said ringsis secured and for clamping the other plate of each ring to the outerperiphery of said channel.

2. A wheel having a radially outwardly directed channel, a rim having aradially inwardly directed flange in said channel, cushioning meansbetween said flange and the parallel inner walls fr of said channel eachcomprising annular discs of rubber disposed between thin metallicplates, one plate of each disc extending radially outwardly thereof,means about the outer periphery of said rim flange engaging saidextending plates radially outwardly of said discs, means at the outerperiphery of said channel alining said plates with respect to saidchannel and adapted to produce lateral compression of said rubber, andmeans at the inner end of said channel for producing correspondinglateral compression of said rubber.

3. A wheel comprising a hub portion having relatively movable radialflanges, a sleeve between said ilanges at the inner end thereof, a rimmember radially spaced from said flanges having a flange extendingradially inwardly between said hub flanges, cushioning means betweenadjacent faces of said flanges, means securing said cushioning means tosaid rim member radially outwardly of said hub flanges, stud meanscircumferentially spaced about the outer periphery of said hub flangesaligning said cushioning means with respect to said hub and limitingrelative movement between said hub flanges, saidstud means and saidsleeve limiting the lateral compression effective on said cushioningmeans due to relative movement of said hub flanges.

4. Cushioning means for resiliently supporting a rim member on a hubcomprising an annular disc-like ring of resilient material, thinmetallic plates secured to the opposite faces of said ring, one plate ofsaid ring extending radially outwardly therebeyond and secured at itsouter periphery to said rim member alined circumferentially spacedopenings in said plates about their outer periphery, the outer peripheryof said ring having inwardly notched-out portions alined with each ofthe pairs of openings in said plates,

and means extending through said openings for securing the other plateof said ring to the periphery of said hub.

5. In combination, a cylindrical hub member, a radially flanged memberrigidly secured to the external surface of said hub member adjacent oneend thereof, a rim member having a radially inwardly extending flangehaving its inner peripheral edge spaced from said hub member, a sleeveon said hub member abutting against one face of said flanged member, asecond radially flanged member movable axially along said hub member andadapted to have abutting engagement with said sleeve, resilientcushioning means between each of said flanged members and said rimflange, means spaced about the peripheries of said flanged member foraligning said cushioning means coaxially therewith and having enlargedcentral portions of a length equal to the axial length of said sleeve,means carried by said aligning means for forcing the outer peripheriesof said flanged members toward each other, and means carried by theopposite end of said hub member for forcing said second fianged memberinto abutting engagement with said sleeve, whereby said cushioning meansare subjected to substantially uniform compression throughout theirradial extent.

6. A wheel comprising a hub having two radially extending iianges, oneheld rigidly on the hub and the other axially slidable thereon, a pairof resilient cushioning members, each of said members having metallicplates on opposite lateral surfaces, one plate of each member extendingradially therebeyond, a rim member having a flange extending radiallyinwardly between said hub danses and spaced therefrom by said cushioningmembers, and means respectively securing the outer periphery of the hubflange-engaging plates of each of said cushioning members rigidly tosaid hub flange and said extended portions of the rim flange engagingplates to said rim flange.

7. cushioning means for a resilient wheel having a pair of hub flangesand a rim flange extending parallel to and between said hub anges,comprising resilient disc-like members having planar metallic sideplates, a series of peripheral studs having enlarged central portionsand clamping the outer plates to said hub anges adjacent the peripheriesthereof, and means rigidly securing said inner plates to opposite sidesof said rim iiange.

8. A cushioning member adapted for mounting between a radially inwardlyextending rim flange and a parallel radially outwardly extending hubflange, said member comprising a disc of resilient material confinedbetween thin plate members bearing respectively against adjacent facesof said flanges, and independent means for locking each of said flangesand the adjacent contacting plate members rigidly together at theirouter peripheries while permitting independent relative movement of saidflanges.

9. A cushioning member adapted for mounting between a radially inwardlyextending rim flange and a parellel radially outwardly extending hubflange, said member comprising a disc of resilient material confinedbetween thin plate members bearing respectively against adjacent facesof said flanges, means comprising shouldered studs passing freelythrough said rim flange for clamping said hub flange and the adjacentplate member rigidly together, and independent means disposed radiallyoutwardly of said studs for rigidly t clamping the other plate member tosaid rlm flange.

10. The combination, with a rim member having a radially inwardlydirected ilange and a hub member having a radially outwardly directedflange, of cushioning means therebetween comprising an annular resilientdisc carrying thin metallic plates on its opposite lateral surfaces, oneof said plates extending radially outwardly beyond said disc, means forclamping the extending portion of said one plate to said rim flange,and. means extending transversely through said extending portion of saidone plate for clamping the puter periphery of the other plate to theouter lriphery of said hub flange, said one plate having an enlargedaperture receiving said lastnamed means and providing for relativeradial movement of said plates.

l1. The combination of claim 10 characterized by the provision of meansfor compressing the narices against the plates adjacent the innerperiphery of the cushioning means.

l2. The combination, with a rim member having a radially inwardlydirected flange and a hub member having Spacer! radially outwardlydirected flanges on opposite sides of the rim flange, of cushioningmeans between each hub flange and said rim flange, said cushioning meanseach comprising an annular resilient disc carrying thin metallic plateson opposite lateral surfaces, stud means extending transversely throughall said plates and spaced circumferentially about the outer peripheriesof the hub flanges for clamping one plate of each cushioning means tothe respective hub flange, and means extending transversely through therim flange engaging platea radially outwardly of the hub flanges forclamping said last-named plates to the rim flange.

13. In combination, a hub having a fixed radially outwardly extendingflange adjacent one end thereof, a second radially outwardly extendingflange movable axially on said hub, a rim having a radially inwardlydirected flange between said hub flanges, cushioning means between eachhub flange and said rim flange cornprising rubber discs having thinmetallic plates bonded to the lateral faces thereof, a peripheral seriesof circumferentially spaced studs extending transversely through allsaid flanges and having shouldered portions providing a predeterminedspacing between said hub flanges such as to produce predeterminedcompression of the outer peripheral portions of said cushioning means,said rubber discs having notched out portions at the periphery thereofclearing said studs, said rim flange having enlarged openings providingradial clearance about said studs, and means for anchoring the platescontacting opposite faces of the rim flange to said flange.

f4. The combination of claim 13 further characterized in the provisionof means engaging about one end olV the hub for forcing said second hubflange axially toward said first hub flange to compress said cushioningmeans adjacent the inner peripheries thereof.

15. A wheel assembly comprising a hub portion having a radiallyoutwardly directed annular channel deilned by a xed and an axiallymovable flange, a rim member having a radially inwardly directed flangeextending into said channel, cushioning means each comprising' a rubberdisc with thin metallic plates on opposite lateral faces thereofdisposed between said rim flange and each hub flange, said rim flangeterminating short of said hub and said hub flanges terminating radiallyinwardly of the rim, a peripheral series of studs extending through saidhub flanges and said rim flange, said rim flange having enlargedopenings receiving said studs for accommodating relative radial movementof said rim flange with respect to said studs, shoulders on said studsbetween said hub flanges pro-- viding a predetermined spacingtherebetween sufficient to compress the radial outer portions of saidrubber discs against the rim flange, means on the hub for forcing theinner periphery of said movable hub flange toward the fixed hub ange toeffect a similar compression of the radial inner portions of said discs,and means anchoring one plate of each of said cushioning means to therim flange.

16. The Wheel assembly of claim 15 wherein said rubber discs havesubstantially semi-circular notched out portions at said studs toprovide radial clearance thereabout.

17. In combination, a hub having a fixed radially outwardly extendingflange adjacent one end thereof, a second radially outwardly extendingange movable axially on said hub to a predetermined distance from saidfixed flange, a rim having a radially inwardly directed flange betweensaid hub flanges, cushioning means between each hub fla-nge and said rimflange comprising rubber discs having thin metallic plates bonded to thelateral faces thereof, a peripheral series of circumferentially spacedstuds extending transversely through al1 said flanges and havingshouldered portions providing a predetermined spacing between said hubyflanges such as to produce predetermined compression of the outerperipheral portions of said cushioning means, said rubber discs havingrecessed portions in the peripheries thereof providing radial clearanceabout said studs, said rim flange having enlarged openings providingradial clearance about said studs, and means for anchoring the platesadjacent said rim flange to said flange.

18. The combination of claim 17 further characterized in the provisionof means on the hub for moving said second hub flange into position saidpredetermined distance axially from said first hub 'flange to compresssaid cushioning means adjacent the inner peripheries thereof.

19. A wheel assembly comprising a hub portion having a radiallyoutwardly directed annular channel defined by a fixed and an axiallymovable flange, a rim member having a radially inwardly directed flangeextending into said channel, cushioning means each comprising a rubberdisc with thin metallic plates on opposite lateral faces thereofdisposed between said rim flange and each hub flange, said rim flangeterminating short of said hub and said hub flanges terminating radiallyinwardly of the rim, a peripheral series of studs extending through saidhub flanges and said rim flange, said rim flange having enlargedopenings receiving said studs` for accommodating relative radialmovement of said rim flange with respect to said studs, shoulders onsaid studs between said hub flanges providing a predetermined spacingtherebetween sufficient to compress the radial outer portions of saidrubber discs against the rim flange, means on the hub for locking theinner periphery of said movable hub flange a predetermined distanceaxially from the fixed hub flange to effect a similar compression of theradial inner portions of said discs, and means anchoring one plate ofeach of said cushioning means to the rim flange.

20. The wheel assembly oi claim 19 wherein said rubber discs haveaxially directed recesses at the peripheries thereof about said studs toprovide radial clearance thereabout.

21. In a resilient Wheel, a hub having axially spaced radial flanges, arim member having a radially inwardly directed flange intermediate saidhub flanges, spring means separating said anges and each comprising anelastic shear element having metallic members surf ace bonded toopposite faces thereof, means for securing the adjacent metallic membersto said intermediate ange, the intermediate flange beingy relativelymovable with respect to the hub flanges to impose shear loading on theelements, a plurality of bolts each extending transversely through saidflanges, said members and said elements and having substantial clearancein said intermediate flange, the metallic members adjacent saidintermediate flange, and said shear elements; said bolts having nuts oneach end thereof to draw said hub flanges toward each other ,to compresssaid elements, said bolts each having shoulder flanges to impose shearloading Von the elements, a plurality of bolts each extendingvtransversely through said flanges, said members and said elements andhaving substantial clearance in said intermediate flange. the metallicmembers adjacent said intermediate flange, and said shear elements; saidbolts having nuts on each end thereof to draw said hub flanges towardeach other to compress said elements, said bolts each having shoulderportions near the ends thereof and a portion comprising dowel means forsecuring those metallic members adjacent said hub flanges to saidflanges, and means having an intermediate portion anchored in saidintermediate ange and another part engaging an opening through each ofsaid metallic members adjacent said intermediate flange to lock saidadjacent metallic members to said intermediate flange.

23. In a wheel, a hub having two main relatively movable flangesradiating therefrom, a tire carrying flange between said main flanges,springs comprising elastic shear elements having metallic discssurface-bonded to each side thereof interposed between said tirecarrying flange and each of said main flanges, a plurality of boltsextending transversely through said wheel in spaced relation with saidshear elements and said tire carrying flange, said bolts each havingshoulder portions in contact With the discs adjacent said main flanges,a nut on each end of each of said bolts drawing said discs and mainflanges into non-slipping engagement, and means for locking said tirecarrying flange and the adjacent discs of said shear elements together.

ROBERT J BURROWS. ALFRED O. WILLIAMS.

